Tips and The List

I created a baby registry a while ago but I find myself regularly researching different product lines, looking up reviews, and re-evaluating what I would like and need to have for our little one over the next couple years.
I'm lucky to have had a good amount of childcare experience in my life so far and I find myself constantly thinking back to my days as a nanny and remembering what baby products were my favorites. So here's the list of items that might not get mentioned as much but are definitely things I used a lot and are high on my priority list (some necessities and some non-essential but favorite items):

for the Diaper Station:
Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
Burt's Bees Baby Bee Almond Oil
Baskets (any that are the right size) for holding diapers, wipes, and toiletries
Extra changing pad covers
Ear thermometer (while rectal might be more accurate, it's definitely
easier to get a thermometer in the ear for a few seconds
than anywhere else and the temp. reading will be accurate
enough to know if baby is spiking a fever or not.)
Musical and mirrored toys
Diaper Pail System and a stash of plastic grocery bags (do yourself and anyone else in your house that has a nose, a favor and get in the habit of wrapping stinky diapers in grocery bags and taking to the outside trash. Even with a pail system, you will eventually have odor problems otherwise.)

for the Bath:
Plastic cup or stacking toys (great for washing hair and also for play time)
Johnson's Baby Lavender products
Cute but mostly soft and absorbent hooded baby towel
Spout bumper/cover (some of us may have a memory of doing this ourselves when we were a little bit older, but once baby starts moving around in the tub, a head bump on the spout happens all too often.)
a Rubber Ducky (of course, but find one with a water temp check on the bottom for double duty.)

for the Car:
baby's favorite music (never seizes to amaze me the power of music, and on a car ride where baby won't stop crying, music can be all the difference. I particularly like Norah Jones and Sarah McLachlan for this)
an extra stash (diapers, wipes, lotion, dry snacks, water, onesie and stretch pants)
Car-seat mirror (not only entertains baby but makes it easier to see what's going on back there while you are driving)
Seat protector (goes under the car seat and catches most of Cheerios that maneuver their way into so many crevices)

for Anywhere:
Hand Sanitizer
On the go wipe packs
Susan Brown's Baby Sunscreen (even if it's another brand, make sure you use it, and it's paraben free. For instant protection from the sun rays look for products with Zinc Oxide as the active ingredient)
Book-Light (makes it much easier to calm baby at sleep time when the lights are turned down. using a booklight is a great alternative and a lot easier to dim when a little falls asleep during reading time)


for Style:
Baby Legs leg warmers
Hats (for sun or cold, a definite necessity)
Robeeze (easy to slip on and great during various age stages)
Crocs (these shoes really should have been created with kids in mind. Great traction for little ones, easy on and off, and easy to clean)

for Feeding:
Recycled Gerber plastic containers (don't toss them, wash them on the top rack of your dishwasher and re-use them to store snacks on the go and small portions of leftovers for reheating later)
Spill mats (you don't have to buy something that's marketed as a spill mat. Just pick up some fabric remnants and throw one down under the highchair during meal time. Afterwards, shake it out and throw it in the laundry when it's dirty)
Munchkin Snack Catchers
a Boppy (They haven't been voted best item for years now for no reason. This pillow is great for nursing. It's also great for tummy time and as back support for little ones while sitting)

for Mobility:
Quinny Zapp Stroller (this is a full size lightweight but sturdy and stylish stroller that folds down small enough to fit in an overhead bin on an airplane. In fact, it folds down smaller than any other stroller of it's kind in the world and it only weighs 13 lbs. Another great feature is it adjusts to hold their car seat for when your little one is still a little less mobile.)
Simple and adjustable sling or carrier (don't go for a carrier that comes with an instructional video. keep it simple and get a traditional pocket sling or front carrier that's adjustable to fit you best)

who says there aren't cute clothes for boys?

It seems the common thought about boys vs girls is that little girls get all the cute clothes! Well, look what I found:



Fat Tie (www.shop-fat-tie.com): This stylie organic line of T-shirts turn little boys into savvy little moguls (well, atleast, they have the style of a savvy mogul). These shirts are great to wear for everday or pair it with a jacket for those fancier times.



Kicky Pants (www.kickypants.com): This brand has great clothes for both boys and girls but I particularly like their stripes and animal prints for boys. Maybe it seems this line has a better understanding of boys because the husband and wife owners have two sons of their own.





Zutano (shop.zutano.com): I may have mentioned this company before. I love their fabric choices, and I am big fan of their Baby Cozie and Baby Terry lines. It's also one of the few lines that manages to use bright colors without making me think of a crayola commercial. Their newborn products (Itzy Bitzy) are as adorable as the name and have great patterns!

Sckoon (www.sckoon.com): This organic line offers lots of different products that I'm adoring. I particularly like their Japanesk line (green) for little newborn boys. I'm also a fan of their Ha-Ha line with bright colors and characters that somewhat resemble the Ugly Dolls (another childrens products that's on my list of faves). Sticking with my retro chic style, their Organic Pear line is fantastic!

who knew

There are certain things about being a pregnant lady that I guess you just don't understand until you are one....

like, no one really tells you that your boobs (actually, most of your torso) will start to resemble a road map as your blood vessels plump up to carry that extra blood supply. Or, that you will sleep so much that you think you are having a relapse of mononucleosis during the first trimeseter.
I've also noticed that people like to blame everything you say or do or feel or think on the fact that you're pregnant and the only real part about it that can be blamed on the pregnancy hormones is the amount of annoyance you feel about them blaming everything on the pregnancy.

I definitely had no idea just how much lotion you go through or how much stretch mark tummy butter it actually takes to cover your tummy. or how little things like taking a shower can make you feel short of breath. ... or oh, how 'bout when your normal little bit of short peach fuzz on your stomach starts to resemble more of a tall jungle.

what else? bigger fight with acne than when you were 15, restless leg syndrome on steroids, so much saliva that brushing your teeth makes your gag (and occasionally lose your breakfast)...

I'm a little more of a third of the way done so we'll have to see what else I discover as the weeks go by.

there's really a baby growing in there huh?...

I forgot to mention earlier that I had my 4 month doc appointment today. It was great to hear the heartbeat yet again and be reassured that all is going well.


I find myself often wondering if there really is a baby still growing in there. I know that sounds a little crazy- the weeks go by and my belly continues to poke out there but other than a few minor symptoms, mostly exhaustion, I haven't had many daily reminders that I'm pregnant.

I'm sure that will all turn around as I get farther along and start to feel some movement and I think the big point will be our ultrasound which we will finally get at our next appointment on January 11th. (Yah!)

so the big question still is: boy or girl? I had a friend do an old wives tale trick with a needle and pencil that said it's going to be a boy... my first instinct was that it's a girl.... but I find myself now thinking there's a little boy in there at times and even find myself saying "he" and "him" ... BUT, at the past two appointments, when I hear the heartbeat I have the image of a little girl again.... we'll hopefully know for sure in 4 weeks!

Have I always been this ditsy?

so there are actual studies about how pregnancy affects the brain and causes memory lapse. (Although most of these studies seem to be unclear as to the actual cause and any real proof other than the stories from various pregnant women doesn't seem to exist...)

Today, I am a believer.... Because,I actually forgot where my own doctor's office was. It took me an extra 15 minutes, multiple turnarounds, and eventually pulling out the GPS before I figured out where exactly I was and where I was supposed to be was under an overpass and 3 streets over. Then on the way home, I missed the first turn, decided to take another route, then missed the second turn, and ended up on the Northwest side of town instead of the Northeast side.

(side note: I have actually been called a "homing pigeon" before because of my ability to somehow find my way to where I am going regardless of how well I know the town, or which roads I take.)